Effects of instructor-led feedback conferences on the level of reflective thought among senior-level students enrolled in a teaching methods course in agricultural education

Abstract

The purpose of this experimental study was to describe the reflective thinking level of students both overall and by characteristics as well as to compare the effect of reflective feedback conference on students' reflective thought by experimental group. All students (n = 28) enrolled in Ag Ed 4330/7330 Teaching Agriculture Subjects participated in the study and were assigned to either a treatment or placebo group. All students had an instructor-led feedback conference with the treatment group receiving a reflective conference and the placebo group receiving feedback without the opportunity to reflect. Both groups then completed an instrument with 3 reflective questions. This experience was repeated three times during the semester. Most of the students' responses were either technical or descriptive in nature. None of the students in the study were critically reflective. In those areas where a relationship was found, female students and younger students tended to be more reflective. Overall, students who received the treatment showed no difference during the first two rounds but gave a more critical answer during their third and final reflection. Cohen's d showed this was a small effect size.